As excited as we all are for EverQuest Next here at ZAM--seriously, there's frothing--hundreds of thousands of players are still adventuring through the current incarnations of Norrath.

And SOE has plenty in store for them.

In EverQuest II, Darkness Dawns will be arriving in late July and promises to begin a huge storyline that will leave the world of EQII irrevocably changed. The relic uncovered in Scars of the Awakened holds power that will change the course of Norrath's future, with players taking a central role in the story as it unfolds.

The update will also bring new, high-level incarnations of favorite zones through Fabled Dungeons from the first EQII expansion, Desert of Flames, holding high level loot to tempt the plucky adventurer. There are a lot of other features coming--with Character Advancement Tables sounding particularly intriguing--so be sure to read Holly Longdale's producer's letter for the full details.